Daisuke Harada
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
professional wrestler
, who mainly works for Osaka Pro Wrestling
, where he is part of the tag team
Momo no Seishun Tag (桃の青春タッグ) with Atsushi Kotoge
. Harada and Kotoge and former three-time OPW Tag Team Champions and have also worked together for various other promotions across Japan
and for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania–based Chikara in the United States
.
through the video game Toukon Ratsuden, after which his first in–person professional wrestling experience was attending the January 4, 1998, Final Power Hall in Tokyo Dome show, witnessing the conclusion of Riki Chōshū
's retirement tour. Harada began competing in amateur wrestling
in his high school and ended up winning Osaka Prefecture
's amateur wrestling championship at 90 kg (198.4 lb). Afterwards, he began training in professional wrestling at Osaka Pro Wrestling
's (OPW) school.
in a losing effort. He would spend his first months in the promotion feuding
with Kotoge, before forming a tag team
with him in November. During the partnership, in May 2007, Harada defeated Kotoge in a tournament final to win the Kamigata Pro–Wrestling Newcomer Grand Prix. After working as a tag team for over a year, Harada and Kotoge were finally granted a shot at the OPW Tag Team Championship on January 5, 2008, but were unsuccessful in their attempt at dethroning the defending champions, Bad Force (GAINA and Zero). Just a month later on February 11, the team came to an abrupt end, when Kotoge turned heel
and joined Bad Force. Meanwhile, Harada formed a new partnership with Zeus, creating rival stable Blood & Guts, which was intended to highlight the promotion's younger performers. In March, Harada and Zeus accepted Tadasuke as the third member of the group. In May, Bad Force was dissolved, when the majority of its members jumped to splinter promotion Okinawa Pro Wrestling, after which Harada's former partner Atsushi Kotoge jumped to Blood & Guts. In June, Blood & Guts sent two teams into the 2008 Osaka Tag Festival, with Harada teaming with Zeus and Kotoge with Tadasuke. Both teams made it to the finals, where Harada and Zeus were victorious, after Harada pinned Kotoge with the Katayama German Suplex Hold. As a result, Harada and Zeus were granted a shot at the OPW Tag Team Championship on September 6, but were defeated by the defending champions, GAINA and Zero. The rest of the year, Harada spent mostly tagging with Kotoge and on November 15 the two received a shot at the OPW Tag Team Championship, but were once again unsuccessful in defeating the defending champions, Black Buffalo and Tigers Mask.
In March 2009, Harada, Kotoge and Tadasuke were entered in the Indie Junior Challenger Determination round robin tournament, and after each of them finished with a record of 1–1, the winner was decided in a three–way final match on April 4. In the end Harada pinned Tadasuke to win the tournament. As a result, Harada was granted a shot at the Independent Junior Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated by Makoto Oishi
on April 29. On June 6, 2009, Tadasuke, considered the lowest ranking member of Blood & Guts, turned on the stable and joined rival group LOV (Legion of Violence). Shortly afterwards, Zeus left Osaka Pro, after which Harada and Kotoge disbanded the Blood & Guts stable, renamed their tag team Momo no Seishun Tag and concentrated on chasing the OPW Tag Team Championship. On January 16, 2010, Harada and Kotoge defeated Tadasuke and Orochi to become the number one contenders to the OPW Tag Team Championship and finally, on February 11, defeated Hideyoshi and Masamune to win the Tag Team Championship for the first time. On April 17, Harada defeated Tadasuke in a tournament final to become the number one contender to the OPW Championship. He would, however, fail in his attempt to win the title from Billy Ken Kid on April 29 at Osaka Pro's eleventh anniversary show. On May 9, Harada and Kotoge teamed with Takoyakida to defeat Tokyo Gurentai (FUJITA
, MAZADA and NOSAWA Rongai
) for the UWA World Trios Championship
. They would hold the Trios Championship for a month, before losing it to Ebessan, Kanjyouro Matsuyama and Kuishinbo Kamen
. On July 17, Momo no Seishun Tag lost the OPW Tag Team Championship to Don Fujii
and Masaaki Mochizuki
, representing rival promotion Dragon Gate
.
On October 15, 2010, Harada and Kotoge made their debuts for Pro Wrestling Noah
to take part in the 2010 Nippon TV Jr. Heavyweight Tag League. After one victory and three losses, Momo no Seishun Tag finished last in their block. Upon their return to Osaka Pro, Momo no Seishun Tag defeated Fujii and Mochizuki on October 31 to regain the OPW Tag Team Championship. Their second reign would last less than two months as they lost the title to JOKER (Kuuga and Orochi) on November 28. On January 15, 2011, Harada and Kotoge returned to Noah to unsuccessfully challenge Atsushi Aoki
and Naomichi Marufuji
for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
. On March 6, Harada and Kotoge wrestled JOKER representatives Orochi and Tadasuke to a draw in an OPW Tag Team Championship number one contenders' match and afterwards agreed to a three–way match for the title. The title match took place on March 19, when Orochi and Tadasuke defeated Momo no Seishun Tag and previous champions, Big Guns (Zeus and The Bodyguard) to become the new OPW Tag Team Champions. On April 21 Momo no Seishun Tag returned to Noah, where they defeated GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion
Kotaro Suzuki
and Shane Haste in a tag team match. On July 18 Momo no Seishun Tag defeated the teams of JOKER (Orochi and Tadasuke) and Takoyakida and Ultimate Spider Jr. in a three–way match to win the OPW Tag Team Championship for the third time. Four days later Harada and Kotoge returned to Pro Wrestling Noah to take part in the 2011 Nippon TV Jr. Heavyweight Tag League. After two victories and two losses, Harada and Kotoge finished third in their block, missing the finals of the tournament. On October 30, Momo no Seishun Tag lost the OPW Tag Team Championship to the JOKER team of HAYATA and Kuuga.
to represent Osaka Pro in Chikara's 2010 King of Trios tournament. In their first round match in the tournament on April 23, Team Osaka Pro defeated The UnStable (Colin Delaney
, STIGMA
and Vin Gerard
), when Harada pinned Delaney with the Katayama German Suplex Hold. While Harada and Kotoge worked the tour as faces
, Tadasuke worked as a heel, and in the following day's quarterfinal match, used his heel antics to eliminate the reigning King of Trios, F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor
, Gran Akuma
and Icarus
), from the tournament by pinning Taylor, while holding his tights, thus sending Team Osaka Pro to the semifinals of the tournament. On April 25, Team Osaka Pro was eliminated from the tournament in the semifinals by The Colony
(Fire Ant, Green Ant and Soldier Ant). Despite failing to win the tournament, Team Osaka Pro's strong showing had made them instant crowd favorites in Chikara.
On March 1, 2011, Chikara announced that Harada and Kotoge would be returning to the promotion for the 2011 King of Trios, this time teaming with the reigning OPW Battle Royal Champion
Ultimate Spider Jr. On April 15, Team Osaka Pro defeated the Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield, Matt Classic and Sugar Dunkerton) in their first round match. However, the following day, Team Osaka Pro was eliminated from the tournament by F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor, Icarus and Johnny Gargano
), when Taylor pinned Spider Jr., while grabbing a hold of his tights, much like how Tadasuke had pinned him in the tournament the previous year. On April 17, the final day of the tournament, Harada and Kotoge entered a ten tag team gauntlet match. They entered the match as the eighth team, facing the Roughnecks (Brodie Lee
and Grizzly Redwood), whom they eliminated when Kotoge pinned Redwood. After also eliminating team number nine, 3.0
(Scott Parker and Shane Matthews), Harada and Kotoge faced off with representatives from rival promotion Dragon Gate, KAGETORA
and Super Shisa
. In the end, Kotoge was able to score the deciding pinfall, earning Momo no Seishun Tag the victory and their third point, which guaranteed them a shot at the Campeonatos de Parejas
, which was at the time held by Jigsaw
and Mike Quackenbush. On August 25, Chikara announced that Momo no Seishun Tag would return to cash their points on October 7, challenging brand new Campeones de Parejas, F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargano), in a rubber match. On October 7 in Burlington, North Carolina
, Momo no Seishun Tag failed to capture the Campeonatos de Parejas as they were defeated by Taylor and Gargano two falls to one, following interference from Icarus. The following day, Harada and Kotoge were defeated by Fire Ant and Soldier Ant at a show in Kingsport, Tennessee
.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, who mainly works for Osaka Pro Wrestling
Osaka Pro Wrestling
Osaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1998 by Super Delfin.-Current champions:-External links:**...
, where he is part of the tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
Momo no Seishun Tag (桃の青春タッグ) with Atsushi Kotoge
Atsushi Kotoge
is a Japanese professional wrestler, who mainly works for Osaka Pro Wrestling , where he is part of the tag team Momo no Seishun Tag with Daisuke Harada...
. Harada and Kotoge and former three-time OPW Tag Team Champions and have also worked together for various other promotions across Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania–based Chikara in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Professional wrestling career
Harada reportedly first got interested in professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
through the video game Toukon Ratsuden, after which his first in–person professional wrestling experience was attending the January 4, 1998, Final Power Hall in Tokyo Dome show, witnessing the conclusion of Riki Chōshū
Riki Choshu
Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , is a Korean-Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker...
's retirement tour. Harada began competing in amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
in his high school and ended up winning Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
's amateur wrestling championship at 90 kg (198.4 lb). Afterwards, he began training in professional wrestling at Osaka Pro Wrestling
Osaka Pro Wrestling
Osaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1998 by Super Delfin.-Current champions:-External links:**...
's (OPW) school.
Osaka Pro Wrestling (2006–present)
Harada made his debut for Osaka Pro Wrestling on August 5, 2006, facing Atsushi KotogeAtsushi Kotoge
is a Japanese professional wrestler, who mainly works for Osaka Pro Wrestling , where he is part of the tag team Momo no Seishun Tag with Daisuke Harada...
in a losing effort. He would spend his first months in the promotion feuding
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Kotoge, before forming a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with him in November. During the partnership, in May 2007, Harada defeated Kotoge in a tournament final to win the Kamigata Pro–Wrestling Newcomer Grand Prix. After working as a tag team for over a year, Harada and Kotoge were finally granted a shot at the OPW Tag Team Championship on January 5, 2008, but were unsuccessful in their attempt at dethroning the defending champions, Bad Force (GAINA and Zero). Just a month later on February 11, the team came to an abrupt end, when Kotoge turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
and joined Bad Force. Meanwhile, Harada formed a new partnership with Zeus, creating rival stable Blood & Guts, which was intended to highlight the promotion's younger performers. In March, Harada and Zeus accepted Tadasuke as the third member of the group. In May, Bad Force was dissolved, when the majority of its members jumped to splinter promotion Okinawa Pro Wrestling, after which Harada's former partner Atsushi Kotoge jumped to Blood & Guts. In June, Blood & Guts sent two teams into the 2008 Osaka Tag Festival, with Harada teaming with Zeus and Kotoge with Tadasuke. Both teams made it to the finals, where Harada and Zeus were victorious, after Harada pinned Kotoge with the Katayama German Suplex Hold. As a result, Harada and Zeus were granted a shot at the OPW Tag Team Championship on September 6, but were defeated by the defending champions, GAINA and Zero. The rest of the year, Harada spent mostly tagging with Kotoge and on November 15 the two received a shot at the OPW Tag Team Championship, but were once again unsuccessful in defeating the defending champions, Black Buffalo and Tigers Mask.
In March 2009, Harada, Kotoge and Tadasuke were entered in the Indie Junior Challenger Determination round robin tournament, and after each of them finished with a record of 1–1, the winner was decided in a three–way final match on April 4. In the end Harada pinned Tadasuke to win the tournament. As a result, Harada was granted a shot at the Independent Junior Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated by Makoto Oishi
Makoto Oishi
is a Japanese wrestler, currently working for Kaientai Dojo, where he is one half of the Strongest-K Tag Team champions along with Shiori Asahi and is a former Independent Junior Heavyweight Champion and UWA World Middleweight Champion. He has held all 3 belts at the same time...
on April 29. On June 6, 2009, Tadasuke, considered the lowest ranking member of Blood & Guts, turned on the stable and joined rival group LOV (Legion of Violence). Shortly afterwards, Zeus left Osaka Pro, after which Harada and Kotoge disbanded the Blood & Guts stable, renamed their tag team Momo no Seishun Tag and concentrated on chasing the OPW Tag Team Championship. On January 16, 2010, Harada and Kotoge defeated Tadasuke and Orochi to become the number one contenders to the OPW Tag Team Championship and finally, on February 11, defeated Hideyoshi and Masamune to win the Tag Team Championship for the first time. On April 17, Harada defeated Tadasuke in a tournament final to become the number one contender to the OPW Championship. He would, however, fail in his attempt to win the title from Billy Ken Kid on April 29 at Osaka Pro's eleventh anniversary show. On May 9, Harada and Kotoge teamed with Takoyakida to defeat Tokyo Gurentai (FUJITA
Minoru Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler contracted to Pro Wrestling Zero1, where he is a former AWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, having won a tournament final against Takuya Sugawara.-Career:...
, MAZADA and NOSAWA Rongai
Kazushige Nosawa
, better known by his ring names NOSAWA and NOSAWA Rongai, is a Japanese freelance professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in All Japan Pro Wrestling and various independent promotions.-Career:...
) for the UWA World Trios Championship
UWA World Trios Championship
The UWA World Trios Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995....
. They would hold the Trios Championship for a month, before losing it to Ebessan, Kanjyouro Matsuyama and Kuishinbo Kamen
Kuishinbo Kamen
Akinori Tsukioka is a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Kuishinbo Kamen. He is very distinguishable by his clown outfit.-Career:...
. On July 17, Momo no Seishun Tag lost the OPW Tag Team Championship to Don Fujii
Don Fujii
, is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, best known by his ring name Don Fujii. He was one-half of the inaugural Open the Owarai Twin Gate Champions and a former Open the Twin Gate Champion with Masaaki Mochizuki. He was previously in the Crazy MAX and Blood Generation stables.-Biography:He was...
and Masaaki Mochizuki
Masaaki Mochizuki
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently performing for Dragon Gate, where he is the current Open the Dream Gate Champion in his second reign and the leader of the Junction Three stable...
, representing rival promotion Dragon Gate
Dragon Gate
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy technical grappling,...
.
On October 15, 2010, Harada and Kotoge made their debuts for Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
to take part in the 2010 Nippon TV Jr. Heavyweight Tag League. After one victory and three losses, Momo no Seishun Tag finished last in their block. Upon their return to Osaka Pro, Momo no Seishun Tag defeated Fujii and Mochizuki on October 31 to regain the OPW Tag Team Championship. Their second reign would last less than two months as they lost the title to JOKER (Kuuga and Orochi) on November 28. On January 15, 2011, Harada and Kotoge returned to Noah to unsuccessfully challenge Atsushi Aoki
Atsushi Aoki
Atsushi Aoki is a Japanese professional wrestler working for the Japanese wrestling promotion Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is one half of the reigning GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Aoki made his professional wrestling debut in 2005 and has worked primarily for NOAH where he was part...
and Naomichi Marufuji
Naomichi Marufuji
is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro...
for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah, contested exclusively among junior heavyweight wrestlers. It was created on July 16, 2003 when Kenta and Naomichi Marufuji defeated Jushin Liger...
. On March 6, Harada and Kotoge wrestled JOKER representatives Orochi and Tadasuke to a draw in an OPW Tag Team Championship number one contenders' match and afterwards agreed to a three–way match for the title. The title match took place on March 19, when Orochi and Tadasuke defeated Momo no Seishun Tag and previous champions, Big Guns (Zeus and The Bodyguard) to become the new OPW Tag Team Champions. On April 21 Momo no Seishun Tag returned to Noah, where they defeated GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion
GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah, specifically for junior heavyweight The Global Honored Crown (GHC) Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro...
Kotaro Suzuki
Kotaro Suzuki
Kotaro Suzuki , born June 18, 1978 in Warabi, Saitama is a professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is one half of the reigning GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.- Career :...
and Shane Haste in a tag team match. On July 18 Momo no Seishun Tag defeated the teams of JOKER (Orochi and Tadasuke) and Takoyakida and Ultimate Spider Jr. in a three–way match to win the OPW Tag Team Championship for the third time. Four days later Harada and Kotoge returned to Pro Wrestling Noah to take part in the 2011 Nippon TV Jr. Heavyweight Tag League. After two victories and two losses, Harada and Kotoge finished third in their block, missing the finals of the tournament. On October 30, Momo no Seishun Tag lost the OPW Tag Team Championship to the JOKER team of HAYATA and Kuuga.
Chikara (2010–present)
In April 2010, Harada along with Kotoge and their former Blood & Guts partner Tadasuke traveled to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to represent Osaka Pro in Chikara's 2010 King of Trios tournament. In their first round match in the tournament on April 23, Team Osaka Pro defeated The UnStable (Colin Delaney
Colin Delaney
Colin Matthew Delaney is a American professional wrestler, best known for wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment. He has also wrestled for promotions such as 2CW Squared Circle Wrestling, Chikara, NWA Upstate, Pier 6 Wrestling, Buffalo Championship Wrestling, NWA Empire, LakeShore Wrestling,...
, STIGMA
Stigma (wrestler)
Stigma is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in the Chikara professional wrestling promotion, where he is a former Young Lions Cup Champion and King of Trios winner...
and Vin Gerard
Vin Gerard
Vince "Vin" Gerard Durling is an American professional wrestler currently competing in the American-based promotion Chikara.-Equinox:...
), when Harada pinned Delaney with the Katayama German Suplex Hold. While Harada and Kotoge worked the tour as faces
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
, Tadasuke worked as a heel, and in the following day's quarterfinal match, used his heel antics to eliminate the reigning King of Trios, F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor
Chuck Taylor (wrestler)
Dustin Howard is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chuck Taylor. He is currently competing most notably in Chikara, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Evolve Wrestling and Dragon Gate USA...
, Gran Akuma
Gran Akuma
Gran Akuma is a professional wrestler who currently works for Chikara and Combat Zone Wrestling, where he uses the ring name AKUMA. He has also worked for the Florida based Full Impact Pro. In Chikara, he was a member of the Kings of Wrestling stable, while also being a part of Team F.I.S.T. with...
and Icarus
Icarus (wrestler)
Icarus is a professional wrestler, who performs primarily in the Chikara professional wrestling promotion, where he is a former Campeon de Parejas and King of Trios winner...
), from the tournament by pinning Taylor, while holding his tights, thus sending Team Osaka Pro to the semifinals of the tournament. On April 25, Team Osaka Pro was eliminated from the tournament in the semifinals by The Colony
The Colony (professional wrestling)
The Colony is a professional wrestling stable wrestling for Chikara. Their gimmick is, as their name suggests, a colony of ants.-Debut:After being trained by both Mike Quackenbush and Chris Hero, Fire Ant and Soldier Ant debuted as Team Colony at the 2006 Tag World Grand Prix, where they lost in...
(Fire Ant, Green Ant and Soldier Ant). Despite failing to win the tournament, Team Osaka Pro's strong showing had made them instant crowd favorites in Chikara.
On March 1, 2011, Chikara announced that Harada and Kotoge would be returning to the promotion for the 2011 King of Trios, this time teaming with the reigning OPW Battle Royal Champion
OPW Battle Royal Championship
The OPW Battle Royal Championship is a title contested in the Japanese pro wrestling promotion Osaka Pro Wrestling. The title is won and lost in Battle Royals. The title was established in 2001 when Miracle Man won an 11-Man Battle Royal to become the first champion...
Ultimate Spider Jr. On April 15, Team Osaka Pro defeated the Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield, Matt Classic and Sugar Dunkerton) in their first round match. However, the following day, Team Osaka Pro was eliminated from the tournament by F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor, Icarus and Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano
John Anthony Nicholas "Johnny" Gargano is an American professional wrestler, who performs primarily in the Absolute Intense Wrestling, Chikara, Dragon Gate USA, Evolve Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Ohio professional wrestling promotions. He has also made appearances for World Wrestling...
), when Taylor pinned Spider Jr., while grabbing a hold of his tights, much like how Tadasuke had pinned him in the tournament the previous year. On April 17, the final day of the tournament, Harada and Kotoge entered a ten tag team gauntlet match. They entered the match as the eighth team, facing the Roughnecks (Brodie Lee
Brodie Lee
Jon Huber is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Brodie Lee, who performs primarily in the Chikara, Dragon Gate, Dragon Gate USA, Evolve Wrestling and Jersey All Pro Wrestling professional wrestling promotions...
and Grizzly Redwood), whom they eliminated when Kotoge pinned Redwood. After also eliminating team number nine, 3.0
2.0 (professional wrestling)
2.0 is a Canadian professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Scott "Jagged" Parker and Shane Matthews . The team is best known for working for Chikara, where they are currently using the name 3.0, and International Wrestling Syndicate...
(Scott Parker and Shane Matthews), Harada and Kotoge faced off with representatives from rival promotion Dragon Gate, KAGETORA
Fumiyuki Hashimoto
, known by his stage name Kagetora , is a Japanese professional wrestler who works for Dragon Gate. He wrestles in independent wrestling leagues all around Japan and has wrestled in the United States for Chikara and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla...
and Super Shisa
Super Shisa
Yoshiyuki Saito is a Japanese professional wrestler best known by his ring name Super Shisa, currently wrestling for Dragon Gate. His gimmick is inspired by the Ryukyuan Shisa...
. In the end, Kotoge was able to score the deciding pinfall, earning Momo no Seishun Tag the victory and their third point, which guaranteed them a shot at the Campeonatos de Parejas
Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas
The Campeonatos de Parejas is a professional wrestling tag team championship contested for in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based promotion Chikara.-History:The Campeonatos de Parejas were introduced in February 2006...
, which was at the time held by Jigsaw
Jigsaw (wrestler)
Jigsaw is an American professional wrestler currently competing in the Chikara and Dragon Gate USA professional wrestling promotions...
and Mike Quackenbush. On August 25, Chikara announced that Momo no Seishun Tag would return to cash their points on October 7, challenging brand new Campeones de Parejas, F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargano), in a rubber match. On October 7 in Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located. The population was 49,963 at the 2010...
, Momo no Seishun Tag failed to capture the Campeonatos de Parejas as they were defeated by Taylor and Gargano two falls to one, following interference from Icarus. The following day, Harada and Kotoge were defeated by Fire Ant and Soldier Ant at a show in Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Harada Pistol (Running dropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
to a cornered opponent) - Katayama German Suplex Hold (Bridging high-angle German suplex)
- Harada Pistol (Running dropkick
- Signature moves
- Diving elbow drop
- Hip toss transitioned into a knee strike to the head
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations- Belly-to-belly
- Gutwrench
- Half hatch
- Northern Lights
- Running elbow smash
- Spear
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "Young Master"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Loud Up!!" by The Mad Capsule MarketsThe Mad Capsule MarketsThe Mad Capsule Markets were a Japanese band that formed in 1990 and were active until 2006...
- "Loud Up!!" by The Mad Capsule Markets
Championships and accomplishments
- Osaka Pro WrestlingOsaka Pro WrestlingOsaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1998 by Super Delfin.-Current champions:-External links:**...
- OPW Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Atsushi KotogeAtsushi Kotogeis a Japanese professional wrestler, who mainly works for Osaka Pro Wrestling , where he is part of the tag team Momo no Seishun Tag with Daisuke Harada...
- UWA World Trios ChampionshipUWA World Trios ChampionshipThe UWA World Trios Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995....
(1 time) – with Atsushi Kotoge and Takoyakida - Kamigata Pro–Wrestling Newcomer Grand Prix (2007)
- Osaka Pro Singles Title Next Challenger League (2010)
- Osaka Tag Festival (2008) – with Zeus
- OPW Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Atsushi Kotoge